MONTGOMERY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org MAR Y LAN D

October 9,2007

Dear Ms. Sartucci:

I am responding to your request of September 27, 2007, for a copy of the Churchill Workgroup
Report that was made public to the media. I am responding on behalf of the superintendent of
schools who, as official custodian of records for the school system, is responsible for replies
under the Maryland Public Infonnation Act, Maryland State Government Article §§10-611, et
seq.

Enclosed is infonnation responsive to your request.

Sinc::;~;~>_.
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Brian K. Edwards
Chief of Staff

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Office of the Superintendent of Schools

850 Hungerford Drive, Room 122 • Rockville, Maryland 20850.301-279-3381

 Office of the Deputy Superintendent of Schools

MONTGOMERY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Rockville, Maryland

September 24, 2007

y
MEMORANDUM

To: Members of the Board of Education ~

From: Frieda K. Lacey, Deputy Superintendent of Schools J
Subject: Winston Churchill High School Advisory Committee Report

Today I received the final report of the Whiston Churchill High School Advisory Committee and
I am attaching it for your review. As you will recall, I convened the Advisory Committee to
address concerns raised within the Churchill community in January 2007. The committee
chaired by Dr. Joan Benz, principal of Winston Churchill High, and Ms. Lori-Christina Webb,
executive assistant to the deputy superintendent, designed and implemented a variety of inquiry
tools and engaged over 100 people in some aspect of the process. The report fmds that, "there
was great variance in the various stakeholder groups' perceptions of and experiences with
Churchill. It is clear from the information gathered that members of the Churchill school
community experience the same community very differently." There are a number of
recommendations provided in the report; however, the committee identified five priority
recommendations.

I commend the work group for this thoughtful and comprehensive exploration of difficult issues.
This is a good beginning of a long journey to build communities across lines of difference. Staff
at Churchill, with the support of the Office of School Perfornlance, has begun to develop a plan
to implement these recommendations. My office will continue to closely monitor their progress
and keep you updated.

Dr. Benz and Ms. Webb will review the findings of this report at a parent meeting tomorrow
evening at Churchill High School at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium. You are most welcome to
attend. In addition, Dr. Benz and members of the advisory committee briefed members of the
media this afternoon to update them on their findings.

FKL:lcw

Attachment

Copy to:
Executive Staff
 Office of the Deputy Superintendent of Schools

MONTGOMERY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Rockville, Maryland

September 24, 2007

CONFIDENTIAL
MEMORANDUM

To: Dr. Frieda K. Lacey, Deputy Superintendent of Schools

From: Winston Churchill High School Advisory Committee

Subject: Winston Churchill High School Advisory Committee Recommendations

Winston Churchill High School (Chmchill), located in Potomac, has a student population that is
65.3 percent white, 21.9 percent Asian American, 5.6 percent Latino, and 7.2 percent African
American. Three percent of the student population qualifies for the Free and Reduced-price
Meals System. Dr. Joan Benz is the principal of Churchill and has been for the past ten years.
Chmchill is a 2007 Maryland Blue Ribbon School winner and was ranked as one of the top 100
high schools in the 2007 Newsweek challenge index. The school is consistently cited as one of
the best in the nation. Dming the 2006-2007 school year there was a fight involving ten
students. The events subsequent to this fight revealed underlying tensions and resentments. This
seemingly isolated event espoused existing fissmes within the community. Once these existing
fissmes came to light, it \vas clear that the school community needed to grapple with unpleasant
differences, old grievances, and both real and perceived slights.

Background

On January 3, 2007, a fight broke out at Churchill between ten students. Chmchill administrators
determined that since the fight was serious in nature and widely witnessed by the student body,
an explanatory letter needed to be sent to the community. The following day, January 4, 2007, a
letter was sent to the Chmchill community giving details about a fight that had taken place on
canlpus, the events that lead up to the fight, and the race of the participants in the fight. The
letter sent to the community contained the statement "[e]very incident revolving around this two
month ordeal has been Black on Black violence." The letter went on to state that "[a]t the very
time yesterday'S assaults were taking place, I learned that the SAT mean scores for our African
American students had risen an amazing 203 points with an increase of 33 percent in their
participation rate". After receiving the letter describing the fight, and using the term "Black on
Black violence" in juxtaposition to the news regarding the SAT scores, a group of African
American parents met to compose a letter expressing their concern with the use of the tenn, as
well as general concerns about conditions for African American students at Churchill.
Dr. Frieda K. Lacey 2 September 24, 2007

Dr. Benz sent a follow-up letter to the community clarifying the intent of her letter and issuirig an
apology to those who were offended by the wording. In addition, in response to the concerns
raised in the letter from African American parents, a meeting was held on
January 9, 2007. Parents raised a number of issues at this meeting, including long-standing
concerns about negative stereotyping of the predominately African American Scotland
community. Additional concerns were raised about the role of the police in characterizing the
fighting incident as possibly being gang related.

The Churchill Parent-Teacher-Student Association (PTSA) Executive Board passed a resolution

that recognized the importance of safety and security; acknowledged the concerns of the diverse
school community; recognized the role of the Montgomery County Police Department;
supported the continued tenure of Dr. Benz; accepted Dr. Benz's apology; and urged
Dr. Jerry D. Weast, superintendent of schools, and the Montgomery County Board of Education
to support her. On January 11, 2007, a PTSA meeting was held at Churchill for the school
system to address all of the issues raised by the conflict. At the direction of Dr. Frieda K. Lacey,
deputy superintendent of schools, a work group was fonned to study how to support Churchill in
moving forward to ensure that the school was a welcoming and safe place for all students. The
work group included a cross section of parents, community members, school and central office
staff, and a student representative. The group began meeting in February 2007 and continued to
meet through the end of June 2007. The work group identified groups of key stakeholders and,
'with the assistance of staff from the Department of Shared Accountability, designed inquiry tools
to ascertain the current attitudes, perceptions, and hopes of various sectors in the Churchill
community. Two Study Circle groups were fonned which included some members of the work
group as well as students, parents, and staff from Churchill. The Study Circles' dialogue
supplemented the other inquiry tools and produced specific recommended action steps along
with a core of participants committed to an ongoing community conversation about race.

Recommendations

The work group gathered information from the Churchill School Leadership Team, the Churchill
Student Support Team, Churchill students, Churchill parents, the Churchill Black Student
Alliance, the Churchill Student Government, the Churchill NAACP Parents Council, Churchill
Supp0l1ing services staff, Churchill teaching staff, and at the Scotland Commullity Center. I
Infonnation was gathered through the use of focus groups and interviews. In addition to this
data, the work group reviewed and analyzed survey data from parents, staff, and students as well
as input from the 1\\'0 Study Circles held with the Churchill cOlmnunity. A total of 83 people
participated in one of these inquiry groups and 35 people participated in the Study Circles.

1 Findings from the focus groups are considered directional, not defmitive. Although the focus group findings
cannot be generalized to "all students" or "all staff," the results provide in-depth insight into experiences,
perceptions, or attitudes of the participants. The systematic infonnation provided by the focus groups identified
COlmnon themes across various stakeholders in the Churchill community and was used to infom1 the Advisory
Committee's recommendations.
Dr. Frieda K. Lacey 3 September 24, 2007

Based on this analysis, the work group made the following recommendations. The first five
bolded recommendations represented the priorities of the committee.

Churchill High School Advisory Committee Recommendations

Recommendations: (Bold indicates priority recommendations)

• Increase staff awareness (through round table discussions) of the types of
statements and behaviors that can be deemed negative and the impact those
statements and behaviors may have on students, staff, and parents.
• Develop and employ a structure to engage staff and the parent community in an
ongoing discussion of race.
• Establish and execute an ongoing dialogue with the main office staff about stafrs,
students', and parents' perception of creating a welcoming office environment.
• The Churchill School Improvement Team will re-examine, research, and revise
the School Improvement Plan, giving careful consideration to the data collected
from the focus groups, staff interviews, and surveys of school environment.
• Practice inclusive rather than exclusive behaviors-include and involve students
in helping to develop the programs that affect them.
• Encoura2:e African Americans to participate in the Black Student Allianee.
• Establish and provide a sponsor for AMATE (African American Males Aiming To
Excellence) Progran1.
• Collaboration between Churchill and the Montgomery County Public Schools to
provide training opportunities for the Churchill community (students, staff, and
parents) on equity.
• Create student advisory group that has access to administration.
• Examine strategies and programs that have and have not been successful at other I

schools facing similar challenges.

• Plan, present, and execute strategies to increase parent awareness that will increase
parent involvement.
• Continue to netvvork and outreach to parents who were trained through the Study
Circles.
• Practice the principles of the Positive Behaviors Interventions and Supports Program so
there is an increase in the number of positive interactions with and between staff and
I
students.
• Establish, plan, and execute an annual international/multicultural fair.
• Utilize a team approach to manage students experiencing discipline concerns.
I
• Train staff on a variety of methods to conul1unicate high expectations to students.
• Use Courageous Conversations (Glenn E. Singleton, Curtis Linton) for all school staff
as a study guide for addressing issues of equality.
• Offer a peer counseling program.
• Ask the staff what training/resources they need related to diversity/equity.
Dr. Frieda K. Lacey 4 September 24, 2007

I Recommendations contrnued:
• Use Courageous Conversations for all students as a study guideJbasis for addressing
issues of equality.
• Increase Churchill students, staff, and parents participation rates on the MCPS Survey
of School Environment.
• Provide positive support of, and outreach to, the Churchill community (students, staff,
and parents).
• Commit to address issues and realize the courageous conversations.
• Identify the offices that will be responsible for supporting Churchill's implementation
of the recommendations.
• Provide an analysis of the processes that were used to address the Advisory
Committee's charge.
• Provide a summary of data collected from focus groups, interviews, and surveys to the
Churchill Leadership Team.
• Establish a buddy system of knowledgeable parents to serve as parent partners.
• Introduce and implement the Restorative Justice Program.
• Develop and use a communication plan to disseminate the Advisory Committee
recommendations to students, staff, parents, and the community
• Share and implement best practices with and anlong school staff for the purpose of
improving relationships vvith students.
• Train staff on special education processes and techniques that promote, support, and
include students with 504 plans and Individualize Education Programs.
• Establish an ongoing and continuous dialogue with cafeteria workers to gather more
information on concerns expressed in student focus group meetings.
• Encourage student interaction through "mix-ern-up" at lunch one time per month.
• Sponsor overnight or weekend group activities where students can get to know students
of other groups.
• Assign mentors to low achieving students.
• Organize student advocacy group that meets with the principal.
• Provide all scholarship information that is available to all students. II

• Establish after-school homework progranls for students who are struggling anclJor want
to get ahead--provide transportation and snacks.
• Train students to serve as Study Circles facilitators.
• Establish student mentoring practices for feeder schools.
• Conduct 1: 1 interviews to obtain feedback.
• Identify programs and strategies that will assist the Churchill staff with the successful
implementation of recommendations.

In addition to these recommendations, tvvo Study Circles were conducted. The Study Circles
developed additional action steps for consideration (Attachment).
Dr. Frieda K. Lacey 5 September 24, 2007

Findings

The work group found that there was great variance in the various stakeholder groups'
Iperceptions of and experiences with Churchill. It is clear from the information gathered
Ithat members of the Churchill school community experience the same community very I
differently.

For some of the groups with whom the committee spoke, Churchill represents a welcoming
enviromnent, a culture of high expectations, and a high performing school. For other groups
Churchill is the opposite of welcoming. They believe that the expectations for them are not high
and their perfOlTIlanCe predetemlined. In addition to these opposing views, there are perceptions
that fall along a continuum of comfort with Churchill. These differences highlight areas for the
school community to focus on in order to create a "consensus reality," where membership in a
specific subgroup is not predictive of perceptions of and attitudes about Churchill.

The work group developed the following four basic areas of inquiry:

1. Churchill as a Welcoming Place

2. Issues of Race, Ethllicity, and Stereotyping
3. Issues of Academic PerfoDllance and Achievement
4. Suggestions (to make school more welcoming, etc.)

Ch urchill as a Welcoming Place

The first focus area probed perceptions of Churchill as a welcoming place. For some stakeholder
groups, such as the students who participated in the focus group at the Scotland Community
Center, there is a sense that they are not welcome at Churchill. The students expressed the belief
that they were not wanted and were treated differently than other students. These beliefs were in
stark contrast to comments received from members of the School Leadership Team. This teanl
considers Churchill an extremely welcoming and caring place. The general consensus of that
group was "[w]e're all welcoming the kids-we embrace them." This view was shared by the
Student Support Team, the Churchill parents' focus group, and the Churchill NAACP Parent
Council focus group. It was noted that "many of our students come from private schools and tell
us they feel very welcome at Churchill." The Churchill NAACP Parent Council focus group
added a caveat. Participants said that they feel welcome at school, except by front office staff.
Issues sUlTounding the front office were raised by other groups, including the SGA student focus
group. In contrast to concems about the front office, both the focus group at the Scotland
Community Center and the SGA focus group expressed the view that the counseling staff
represents a welcoming part of Churchill. The Churchill NAACP Parent Council focus group
members raised a concern about the difference between putting out general invitations versus
reaching out. This group articulated concern that "those feeling most isolated don't come."
These differing perceptions were minored in the 2005-2006 Survey of School Environment.
Dr. Frieda K. Lacey 6 September 24, 2007

Issues ofRace, Ethnicity, and Stereotyping

The sharpest difference of opinion regarding race, ethnicity, and stereotyping revolves around
the question of the impact of socio-economics. For some of the focus groups, significant socio­
economic disparities between students at Churchill were as much, if not more, of a relevant
variable as race. These groups spoke about stereotyping based on perceived socio-economic
status. SGA students in particular are concerned about the behavior of teachers with regard to
economic stereotyping. They say some teachers make offending comments to students based on
their perceived socio-economic background. According to the SGA student focus group, some
teachers made comments based on their perception that all Churchill students are wealthy.

Some of groups talked about the intersection of race and socio-economics. For example, the
School Student Support Team focus group said, "If you look into the cafeteria in the morning the
students eating a free breakfast are 99 percent African American. I have heard kids out in the
hall making fun of someone in the cafeteria eating breakfast." The BSA student focus group
pointed out that black students are assun1ed to be economically needy by the school, even when
this is not correct, as illustrated in the following comment. "They give you fi-ee stuff all the time.
I can pay for this, but they give it to me free because I am black."

Although the BSA student focus group discussed socio-economics as a factor in stereotyping,
they also expressed the belief that students are stereotyped based on race or ethnicity. One
comment was "[w]hen they talk to you they talk different to black people than they do to white
people. Students think you are ghetto and they think you should know who 50 cents momma is."
Both the Churchill NAACP parents focus group and the focus group at the Scotland Community
Center expressed the view that there is stereotyping based on race. PaIiicularly poignant '\Jere
some of the examples offered from the students in the focus group at the ScotlaI1d Community
Center. A student provided the following example: "In my Spanish class [two from this focus
group are in the san1e class] the teacher asks each of us if we have our homework. Everybody
says yes, but she makes me and my friend [the only two minority students in the class] come up
to the front of the class and show her our homework."

Academic Peiformance and Achievement

There is general agreement that there are extremely high academic expectations at Churchill.
There is disagreement, hmvever, about whether there are high expectations for all students. The
two staff-based focus groups disagreed about whether there were high expectations for all
students. The School Leadership Team stated that expectations were high for all students while
the School Student SupPOli Team expressed the view that since students at Churchill are
generally high achieving, toleraI1ce for any kind of difference is low. BSA students say there are
high expectations from both teachers and parents. "Yes, this is a very high academic school.
Yesterday we had the assembly because we won the blue ribbon [National Blue Ribbon School].
So teachers definitely look to students to see how well their grades are and expect them to do
well." Comments regarding the high academic expectations at Churchill included the following:
Dr. Frieda K. Lacey 7 September 24, 2007

• "I think expectations are high, period ... for everyone."

• "They have high expectations for everyone here and think everyone should achieve on a
high level."

• "This is a school where students work extremely hard academically."

• "My friends at college said that Churchill classes really helped to prepare them and gave
them good student habits."

However, there are negative assumptions or perceptions based on race as sampled ill the
following:

• "They don't think that all black people are stupid or dumb, but I think if you're black,
you have to prove that you're smart."

• "Sometimes when we are reading a book and we read something that contains the n-word
everybody turns and looks at you and I go 'damn, I'm stuck.'"

• "If you don't get something right away in this particular school, they just dumb you out;
you automatically get put in a resource class."

• "I was in an AP class and as soon as my grade started going from a low B to a high C,
they kicked me out [of that class]."

• "One teacher told me that I would grow up and work at McDonalds and told my friend
that she would end up having five babies because she was Hispanic."

These differences also are reflected in student responses to the 2005-2006 Survey of School
Environment.

Suggestions (to make school more welcoming, etc.)

The focus groups had few suggestions on how to improve Churchill. However, there were some
cornmon themes. Parent and staff focus groups identified after-school academic support as an
area for improvement. Parents also identified the need for staff training on diversity or cultural
issues.

Conclusion

The work of the advisory group can only be the beginning of the ongoing dialogue that must take
place within the Churchill community. The priority recommendations identified by the work
group focus on putting into place training, structures, and processes that would, over time,
Dr. Frieda K. Lacey 8 September 24, 2007

transfoIDl the community by hopefully improving attitudes. There are some fairly quick changes
such as improving the climate in the front office. In addition, incorporating parents who
participated in the Study Circles into the parent/school decision-making process and structure
would capitalize on the work these parents have already done and would provide school
leadership with a rich diverse resource. These changes would set a tone about the climate
expectations in the school. Other recommendations will need to be implemented over time;
however, it is imperative that the conversation that has begun in the Churchill community needs
to continue. One way to continue this conversation within the greater ChurchillcOlmnunity is to
hold additional Study Circles throughout the school year. Communication is critical for the
community to 'buy-in' to the process and establish a healthy dialogue. It is essential that a letter
be sent out to the Churchill community at the beginning of the school year that outlines what has
been done since February 2007 and the plans for the upcoming year in regard to improving the
Churchill climate.

The five high-priority recommendations are as follows:

1. Increase staff awareness (through round table discussions) of the types of statements and
behaviors that can be deemed negative and the impact those statements and behaviors
may have on students, staff, and parents.

2. Develop and employ a structure to engage staff and the parent community in an ongoing
discussion of race.

3. Establish and execute an ongoing dialogue with the main office staff about staffs,
students' , and parents' perception of creating a welcoming office environment.

4. The Churchill School Improvement Team will re-examine, research, and revise the
school plan, giving careful consideration to the data collected from the focus groups, staff
interviews, and surveys of school enviroIDllent.

5. Practice inclusive rather than exclusive behaviors-include and involve students In

helping to develop the programs that affect them.

By using the recommendations developed by the work group, Churchill leadership in parinership
with students, par"ents, and the community can begin the process of dismantling the barriers
which prevent all members of the community from viewing Churchill High School as a safe arld
welcoming place for all.

LCW:la
 Attachment

Study Circles' Recommended Action Steps

• Homework Club for English and mathematics.

• Bring potential role models to school.
• Identify and train a group dedicated to providing an outlet for students, staff, and parents who
want to resolve conflicts at the school.
• Need multicultural trained presence in the front office.
• Cultural training for front office staff.
• "Mystery parents" make surprise visits to the front office.
• Parent/student trained volunteers.
• Multicultural committee to evaluate current activities.
• Generate a fact information sheet and distribute infoID1ation regarding financial assistance
availability.
• Create a parent network using list-serves or Yahoo groups.
• Have a buddy system.
• Feedback link on Churchill Web site.
• Everyone should have access to communication tools without having to sign up.
• Improve communications by­
1. having small group meetings,
2. providing interpreters for parents who do not speak English, and
3. updating the Churchill Web site and Edline with guidelines on how parents can
meet with their children's counselors and teachers.
• Encourage the infOlmation of additional Study Circles for current and upcoming parents
by­
1. inviting some of the current Study Circle parents to these meetings and seek their
support for the formation of future Study Circles;
2. using Blips, Edline, the Churchill Web site, and newsletters to diversely and
effectively publicize upcoming meetings; and
3. publicizing the latest fmdings using means listed above and additional methods
recommended by the school staff and parents.
• Encourage p81iicipation among all parents by­
1. reaching out to parents that don't feel comfortable,
2. organizing multicultural discussion groups,
3. asking all parents what they can bring to the table, and
4. holding parent education classes to include multicultural Issues and ways for
parents to help other p81·ents.
• Use all available means of communication such as­
1. blips, Edline, the Churchill 'Web site, ConnectED, mailings, PTSA committee,
newsletters, phone calls, etc., to diversely and effectively publicize upcoming
meetings; and
2. counselors and special education staff.
• Identify and train a dedicated staff member as an expert for conflict resolution.
• Need all parties in the conflict together at one time with the conflict resolution expert.
 Attachment

• Need appeal board process after decision made-independent of school hierarchy.

• Have to deal promptly \vith all conflict resolution problems.
• Have specific room (holding room) for students in main office waiting to see administrator.
Need computers in room so students can use time effectively while waiting-have class work
to do while waiting.
• Involve counselors in conflict resolution--counselor to advise and mentor student(s) in
resolving the conflict.
• Student(s) frequently in conflict to be connected with counselor to get help with why they are
in a number of conflicts.
• Front Office
1. Welcoming committee-Greeter for drop-in v1s1tors, direct (trained), finish
completely, and give undivided attention to the person who comes in the school.
2. Parents/students-more volunteers should be involved who are trained.
More minority representation in front office. This should be a full-time employee.
4. Attendance office needs to be included in the welcoming training sessions.
5. Everyone that walks through the door gets attention
o Students could be greeter aides
o Parents could do 2-3 hour volunteer shifts
6. Phone greeting would be courteous.
7. Greeters would be personable, friendly, get to know names.
8. Training would be mandatory in the attendance, counseling, and main office.
9. Trainer skills
o Communications
o Sensitive
o Courteous
o Can professionally handle conflict resolution
• Help teachers become more approachable and more skilled at working with all students.
1. Listen to students.
2. Provide positive reinforcement.
3. Consider these issues when hiring new staff members and make sure they are the
kinds of people that would be approachable to the students who are feeling
disconnected from the school. (Personality test when hiring teachers.)
4. More teachers taking "skillful teacher" class.
5. Implement cultural training for teachers (i.e., Sin10n Wiesenthal Center at
W'Nw.wiesenthal.com).
6. Create multicultural after-school activities.
• Develop cross-cultural relationships by­
1. inviting teachers over for a meal,
2. parents sponsoring a multicultural student lunch table (parents would pay for
lunch for students who sit/meet at multicultural table),
3. having a multicultural lecture series at a very high level,
4. including students from all backgrounds in Study Circles, and
5. initiating Study Circle support groups.
• Create a school ombudsman for racial issues.

2
 Attachment

• Insure that all activities are encouraging to all students by-

1. creating multicultural group to oversee activities to encourage and celebrate all
ethnic groups, and
2. supporting more students to participate.
• All staff should be mentors and role models (diversity training a must). Achievements of
students of different races will become more equal.
• Address the gap betlveen the achievements of African American students and others.
• Recruit speakers from all ethnic groups (could be cOlmected to character education
committee).
• Boost participation in African American groups/activities.
'. Create an after-school activity for African Americans.
• Create a fund to help students who can't afford some resources/events (such as tutors).
• Middle person who helps distribute resources (teachers feel uncomfortable).
• Enable students to take advantage of resources already available.